Newsletter

Update in Putnam County animal cruelty case: Police reports from July 23, 2013

Ryan Christopher Flynn

Beecher

From staff reports

PUTNAM COUNTY

Woman arrested on animal cruelty charges:

Update - July 30, 2013:

Another person has been arrested after a dog and puppies were left at a trash collection site in Putnam County.

On July 22, someone found one dog and four puppies near a trash collection site onBeecher Springs Roadin Welaka, according to an updated Putnam County Sheriff's Office release. The dog and one puppy were dead. The person took the surviving puppies home to care for them.

The dog and her puppies were emaciated, the release said.

A previous release said that six puppies were found at the trash collection site, which was incorrect.

Deondra Milledge was arrested July 23 on animal cruelty charges in connection with the incident, according to the Putnam County Sheriff's Office. She has named her boyfriend, Ryan Flynn, as the person who placed the dog and the dog's puppies by the roadside, the release said.

Flynn was arrested on Monday and booked into thePutnamCountyjail on two counts of causing cruel death by pain and suffering to an animal, and three counts of abandonment of an animal, according to the release. His bond was set at $4,520.

One puppy is still alive today. His name isBeecher, and he has been adopted. The people who adopted him have created a Facebook page called "Hope forBeecher." His picture is attached to this story.

Previous version:

A Welaka woman was arrested Tuesday on five counts of animal cruelty after four dogs that she was responsible for were found dead.

According to a release from the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Deondra Milledge was suspected of failing to properly care for the animals after a pit bull/hound mix and three of her six puppies were found malnourished and dead.

On Monday, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office Animal Services received information about a possible malnourished dog in the 100 block of Beecher Springs Road.

The investigation revealed that a passerby noticed a deceased dog near a trash collection site along with six puppies, three of which were also dead. The person collected the three remaining puppies and took them home to care for them.

Further investigation revealed that the dogs may have been neglected or abused and that they were severely emaciated. Sgt. Tom Swart began investigating the incident and located the suspect, Milledge said.

Sheriff Jeff Hardy said: “It amazes me that a human being can be so insensitive and cruel.”